Reunion
by Penstorm
Summary: "How they could ever cause harm to something so beautiful, so precious—it was beyond him." Extra Caskett scene/Post-ep for 6x17, "In the Belly of the Beast". Bordering on M.


Warning: Extreme fluff ahead.

**Reunion**

_Kate stared at the corpse for what seemed like an eternity, dizzy and disoriented. She should have already made her escape and been long gone by now, but how could she possibly manage doing so in this condition? She was already growing delirious with exhaustion, so overwhelming that she felt as if she would imminently black out. How could she expect to survive wandering through unfamiliar territory, let alone in the dark, pitch-black of night, already weak from her intense, debilitating fatigue, gnawing hunger, and thirst? __Well, maybe she could go without water for just a bit longer. She wasn't entirely sure if she was prepared for that again, but a__t any rate, if she were to wander off aimlessly in these deep woods, she would surely be sentencing herself to death. _

_No, she had to find an alternative._

_Without the use of her tied hands, she struggled, but ultimately forced herself to her feet, grimacing and moaning as her bones instantly protested. She had taken quite a beating on the way down that hill, of that she was certain._

_Kate extended her foot, kicking at the dead body before her, his blank, lifeless eyes peering up at her. After some digging around, she came in contact with something firm in the man's coat pocket—a cell phone. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Kate swiftly kicked back the garment before using her foot one final time to nudge the device out of the inner pocket. She stooped down, pressing the button on the phone with the tip of her nose and selecting the emergency call option._

_She was answered almost immediately. _

_"911, what's your emergency?"_

* * *

_As soon as she stepped foot out of the police car, he was upon her, wrapping her up in his arms. They stood outside the precinct now, but all thoughts of professionalism at the workplace had been tossed out the window. Now, it was all Castle._

_She could scarcely breathe as he smothered her with his relentless kisses. Gasping for air was such a terrifying feeling after all that she had been through within the past hours, yet that sensation of his lips repeatedly mashing against hers was utterly rejuvenating._

_Kate was tightly ensconced in Castle's embrace, and for the first time that day, she felt completely safe. One would never assume this from her outward appearance, however, for she was shuddering violently, trembling like a leaf in her __fiancé's_ arms. The unconditional, tender hug in which she was enveloped did wonders for her, nonetheless, both physically and emotionally.

"_Kate. Oh, God, _Kate._" Castle breathed, his warm breath fanning over her ear. "It's okay. It's all right. I've got you, honey. I'm right here_._" he assured her lovingly, clasping his arms further around her in an effort to alleviate her shaking. "Oh, Kate, I thought I was going to lose you." _

_It was as if she were simply a figment of his imagination, nothing tangible or able to be held. Just to feel her, touch her, _look _at her—that was all he longed for. And right now, she needed him. Whether she admitted it or not, she did. __Kate Beckett was the strongest woman he had ever known, but even she had her limits._

"_Rick," she piped up weakly, burying her face in him as he allowed her to wipe away her steady flow of tears. _

_"Yes. Yes, what is it, honey?"_ _he gently whispered, patient with her as she gathered her breath, her back heaving._

_"I-I love you." she croaked, shuddering against his form. "I _need _you to know that, Rick." _

_____The torture she had endured had, she instantly noticed, taken a toll on her voice__—al_l of her screaming, futile shrieking. The effects of her torture still lingered, and she could feel it clearly, though her mind was a cloudy haze. Her chest throbbed and her lungs burned, as if they were both simultaneously aflame.

_Castle brought his arms further around her. "I love you, too," he replied immediately, loyally._

_Castle pressed a kiss to her temple. His love's upper half was thoroughly wet, while the entire length of her body was flecked with mud and dirt. He banished all the horrifying explanations as to why she was in this condition from his mind; his heart wasn't strong enough to fathom them, but he was certain that in the following hours, she would reveal to him all that she had suffered through. _

_Her lithe body, still quaking, melded to his, wishing to partake in his warmth, but above all else, seek out his love. Castle was unable to discern whether she was shaking simply from the effects of her ordeal, or because she was, quite frankly, freezing. He would be entirely grateful if she didn't wind up coming down with something terrible after all of this—a bad cold, or worse yet, a case of pneumonia. At least he would be there to take care of her if she did, remain constantly at her side. Not being there for her during that time they were apart had been one of the worst and most painful things he had ever lived through._

_The cold tip of her dainty nose pressed into the flesh of his neck, and as she quieted and dropped down into whimpers, she pushed closer, draping her arms over his shoulders. Castle swallowed hard, blinking back tears of his own at the pain his partner, the woman he adored, was suffering through. __He would hunt down whoever did this to his love—personally take up the responsibility of putting them through the worst hell that they could possibly experience. How they could ever cause harm to something so beautiful, so precious—it was beyond him._

_Although he felt a strong desire to cup Kate's face in his hands and kiss her until she begged him for mercy, Castle managed to withhold his advances. No, he was content to hold her in his arms for as long as she needed him. At least he still had her to hold. He had nearly lost her. Such a thought brought painful tears to his eyes. _

_They were both whispering tearfully to one another now, neither of them holding back their emotions or joy at being reunited. Castle planted a kiss upon Kate's forehead, and she cringed as he came into contact with her bloodied brow, clenching her teeth but ultimately worming her way closer to him, further into his arms._

_"I'm sorry," he murmured gruffly, rubbing the pad of his thumb over her wound before providing it with a kiss. "We'll need to take care of this later, Katie." _

_Kate glanced up, the affectionate name he used to address her taking her slightly off guard. That was a name usually only used by her father. And now, this perfect partner of hers had put it to use. It touched her heart in a way she never could have imagined. _

_"Katie?" she echoed, a fresh supply of tears pooling in her eyes. _

_Castle appeared somewhat guilty. "Y-you...you don't mind that I called you that, do you?" _

_"No, no." Kate insisted quickly, pushing her lips to his._

_Any contact to her wound stung terribly, but not nearly as badly as the thought of never seeing _him_ again, never being able to tell him just how much he meant to her. He was her whole world. And now, by some stroke of luck, she was able to tell him so, prove just how much she adored him._

* * *

That had all been several hours ago.

Now, Kate found herself at the place she now called home with the man she loved, without whom no home of hers would be complete. Just a simple kiss, a mere peck to the lips, as he had provided her just moments ago, could and would set her heart aflutter with adoration.

Kate had resolved that she had gone without a bath for far too long, and she intended to go to great lengths to cleanse herself of this whole ordeal. At least, she _had. _Now she wasn't entirely certain she could go through with it.

The splashing of the water in the bath Castle had drawn for her sent a pang of distress through her veins, a jolt of fear all the way to her toes. Water lapped incessantly along the sides of the porcelain, a faint steam flowing steadily from the surface.

_Her screams sliced through the icy water, but she knew no one was listening, nor willing to take pity on her. Her lungs burned with a need for precious oxygen, something of which her body was being deprived. She took in gulps of brisk water as she cried for mercy, her throat burning just as severely as her begging lungs._

Kate took an involuntary step back, wrapping the towel concealing her body further around her naked form. She squeezed her eyes shut, pursing her lips and releasing a long exhale. Just water—what was there to be afraid of?

_Her head was yanked back from the torture device, every vertebrae in her neck screaming in protest. She moaned loudly as she retched, her chest heaving with a hacking, sputtering cough. She wouldn't survive this. _

"_Oh, God! No! Please!" she begged in a scream, her voice cracking._

_Again, she found herself plunged into the frigid depths, and this time, her forehead bashed against the side of the basin. A flash of red appeared in her line of vision—without a doubt her own blood. There was a gash on her brow now; she could feel it, the throbbing pain wearing away at her. _

"Kate, honey? You okay in there?" Castle called from their bedroom, snapping her out of her flashback. "Do you need anything?"

She realized her hand had drifted up to her wound, her fingers lightly tracing the swollen indentation over her left eye. Needless to say, she was covered with cuts and bruises everywhere from her tumble in the woods, as she had discovered the moment she had undressed and taken a moment to examine herself.

"Kate?" Castle repeated, poking his head through the crack in the door. "Are you all right?"

Kate darted a pair of fretful eyes over to her partner, though she tried desperately to mask her anxiety. "Y-yeah. Yeah, babe. Everything's fine."

Castle offered her an adoring smile. "If you need it any warmer," he said, inviting himself in and strutting over to the tub, dipping a finger into the water and giving it a gentle swirl, "that can be arranged."

"No. It's perfect, Rick." Kate murmured, forcing herself forward and reaching out to touch the water. The instant it came into contact with her skin, she flinched.

Her love appeared to take note of this, and he frowned. "You okay?"

She nodded insistently, forcing herself to smile. "Yes." she bluffed, feigning a state of calm.

"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" he offered, stepping up behind her and resting his hands on her bare shoulders, working his way down to her sharp collarbone. "Allow me, if you will, to help you with this."

He gingerly slipped the towel away from her body and replaced it with his arms, snaking them around her waist. His love didn't respond to this at all, much to his concern. Something was wrong—very wrong. She would normally chuckle endearingly at his exploration of her body, or at least make an effort to squirm away from him. Now, she was lethargic, as if she were in some sort of trance. He allowed one of his hands to glide over her ribcage, and she instantly became tense, wincing and emitting a barely audible moan.

Castle instantly loosened his grip, stepping back to thoroughly inspect her for her now obvious injuries. A number of bruises peppered her flesh in various places, ranging from her both of shoulder blades down to her thighs. Nearly her entire right side was tinged with a swollen, purplish hue, and he instantly turned his head away from the gruesome sight he beheld.

"God, Kate, what did they do to you?" he whispered with disapproval, reluctantly darting his eyes back to her and tracing the outline of the bruise with his fingertips.

His touch tickled her ribs, instantly causing her to break out in prickling goosebumps, her stomach fluttering with a familiar sense of pleasure despite the circumstances.

"That was from...after..." she explained in a distant voice, drifting off as a growing lump in her throat inhibited her speech.

Soon after, Castle hugged her from behind, this time initiating the tender embrace with a much gentler touch. He parted her thick curls of hair with his hand, moving them just enough to press a loving kiss to the nape of her neck.

"Let's just get you into this bath. Then, the two of us can go to bed." he suggested gently, lightly taking her hands in his.

He needed to sleep this all off just as much as she did, forget about everything that happened, even if it was just for a little while.

She shook her head, and he frowned. "C-can't. Rick, I can't."

"What?"

Kate turned away from the sight of the water, withdrawing into the safety and security of his arms.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Castle said urgently, placing his hands on the small of her back and rubbing gently.

"I can't. Not after _that."_ she confessed in a whisper, shuddering all over.

"Talk to me." Castle insisted firmly, tilting up her chin and boring his eyes into hers.

"The _damn _w-water—I can't look at it, n-not without...Rick, I thought I was going to die." Kate admitted shakily, swallowing hard.

Castle, having been reminded of the torture inflicted upon the woman he loved, raised a hand to caress her face, gazing deeply into her eyes.

The fear reflected in those tender eyes was ineffable, and so he decided against pursuing the subject further, sighing and holding her close. No, he didn't want her to have to relive it. That was the last thing he wanted. It's enough that she had to be put through that any of it in the first place.

He placed a hand over her heart, that heart that could have so easily been stopped earlier that day, and kissed her soft lips. To his delight, she kissed him back.

"I need to know that you'll be okay."

He had promised himself he would stay strong for her after all of this, and he intended to keep that promise. It was now his duty to make her feel safe and loved as she began to heal and recover from it all. There would be no more tears from him.

Castle continued, quietly and with the utmost tenderness. "It's all over. And I promise you, Kate, that I won't ever let you go through something like that again."

Kate exhaled, leaning forward and tucking her head underneath his chin. "You can't promise that, Rick." she whispered, her lips brushing over his Adam's apple.

"Then I'm going to try my damnedest." Castle insisted, mindlessly weaving his fingers through her mess of curls. Her lips upturned with the faintest of smiles, somewhat amused at his persistence, and he kissed her forehead. "Let's just try to get some sleep, then."

Kate glanced up at him, then over her shoulder, directing her gaze back to the bath.

"No, I think I'll..." She turned her attention back at him. "I-if I get in, will you stay with me?"

Castle smiled, intertwining their fingers as he lightly squeezed her hand. "Always."

Kate offered him a sentimental smile of her own, and she turned to face the bathtub, keeping a secure hold of her fiancé's hand. With extreme trepidation, she lifted her leg to step into the water, her heart pounding quicker and quicker. She glanced somewhat fearfully at her partner, who offered her an unconditionally loving expression, full of support and encouragement. Kate slowly eased herself down into the water, clinging tightly to Castle's hand all the while, and eventually came to sit, knees against her chest.

Castle made an effort to loosen his grip of her hand, but she tightened her hold in response, gazing into his eyes with a subtle fear contained within her own. He crouched down beside the tub, draping an arm over the side and swirling the water with his hand. Kate watched his movements warily, still jittery at the familiarity of the sound—calming to most but petrifying to her.

"There," he soothed, lifting her hand to kiss her fingers. "I'm right here."

Kate hesitated, swallowing an enormous lump in her throat. If she happened to go under, that would be it. She had dealt with the horrific extremes of post traumatic stress disorder in the past, and she could only hope that she could avoid the possibility of allowing any aspect of everything she had been through triggering it again. There was always that faint but looming fear in the back of her mind that something would, and that something to send her straight over the edge could be just this.

"I know that," she muttered, darting her eyes from the ripples of the water back up to her partner.

"You can trust me. I've been your partner for six years, Kate. I won't let anything happen to you—ever." he coaxed, indicating to the water with his eyes. "Just lie back and relax, hon."

Kate offered him one final, leery glance before slowly sinking back, propping her head against the side of the tub and reluctantly letting go of his hand. The heat of the water was heavenly—almost on par with spending a day loafing around in her pajamas with her future husband. Warmth suffused her veins, soothing her aching bones and and tense muscles and gradually drawing her out of her qualms, little by little.

"Okay?" Castle queried, though he could already predict her answer by the soft hum of contentment she emitted.

"Yeah," she mumbled, her eyes fluttering shut and a slight smile forming on her face.

For Castle, it was the single, most wonderful sight he had witnessed in some time. He intently gazed upon her relaxed form, reaching out a hand to gently rub her head. Abruptly, he rose to his feet, and Kate instantly opened her eyes, somber, brown orbs glinting in the soft light of the room. He retrieved a cloth, dipped it into the water, and scrubbed a bar of soap against it briefly before retreating to her side once more. Gingerly, he dabbed at the wound above her brow, offering her a guilt-ridden countenance as she grimaced.

"Sorry," he whispered, kneeling beside her and continuing to clean her wound. The marred, inflamed area on her forehead had remained caked with blood, and Castle feared the wound had a chance to become infected if it wasn't tended to properly. He moistened the cloth again, rinsing the remnants of scarlet from her face. "Are there any more?"

Kate shook her head. "Just bruises." she replied, wincing as she shifted in the tub. One of her innumerable bruises was presently objecting to her movement and making its presence known. "Ooh. Yeah, that's gonna hurt tomorrow morning."

She managed a chuckle in an effort to lift her fiancé's spirits. He was deeply concerned over her well-being. Kate was a naturally perceptive woman, and their inherent connection with one another, along with Castle's visibly anxious expression, alerted her to this.

He remained by her side for the entire time, aiding her in massaging shampoo into her hair and waiting for her to grant him permission before he allowed any water on to her head. He cupped his hands over and over, sending gentle cascades of water over her head and face as he rinsed away the suds. By the time Kate convinced herself to remove herself from beneath the blissful sensation of Castle's expert fingers over her scalp, she was thoroughly sated and pleasured, her entire body limp with a complete sense of relaxation. Castle generously offered Kate his hand as she took an unsteady step out of the bathtub, aiding her in snugly wrapping her up in a towel.

While Castle drained her bath and showered himself, Kate retired to their bed, completely bare and plagued with an overwhelming exhaustion. All she needed now was a prolonged, deep slumber in the security of her partner's arms. She vowed never again to take advantage of sharing a cuddle with him every night—having him nudged up behind her, one arm draped over her waist, the other sprawled out over her pillow, his nose burrowed deeply into her tendrils of hair, his leg possessively splayed out over hers. This private, intimate time with him was always something she could look forward to at the end of a long and harrowing day—a day such as this.

It wasn't long before she had drifted off, only to be awakened as her fiancé crawled into bed beside her, instantly providing her with a tender kiss. She rolled over and deepened their affection, curling up beside him as he collected her in his arms. After a moment of passion, she pulled back, touching her forehead to his. He moved his lips upward, gingerly kissing her wound.

"Kissed it better, didn't I?" Castle murmured in a teasing yet incredibly affectionate tone.

"You did." Kate replied softly with a nod, her face brightening with a smile. "You make everything better, Rick." Her beloved simply regarded her fondly, allowing her to continue as she opened her mouth to speak. _"You _are the only reason I'm alive now, the reason I didn't give up. _You _are the single greatest thing that has ever happened to me." She brought a hand to his face, lovingly caressing his jaw. "And _you _are the love of my life. I know that sounds so cliché, Rick, but it's the truth." she insisted, teasing him with her lips. "Before there's a chance of _anything_ else happening that might come between us, I need you to know that."

"No, honey," Castle replied softly, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a delighted smile. "I'm glad you're still here to tell me that, here beside me."

"I know that you're the writer in this relationship," she murmured tenderly, "but I wrote you a letter earlier, in case..."

"Oh," he mumbled, pulling her further into his embrace at the thought of possible what-ifs. "What...what did you write?"

She kissed his neck, and he felt her smile against his skin. "Nothing you don't already know, I hope."

Castle gave a soft laugh, kissing her still damp hair as she made herself comfortable and at ease in his grasp.

"I was so afraid I was going to lose you. I felt so helpless when I didn't know where you were, when I couldn't help you. I'm your _partner_, Kate, and I couldn't do a thing." he whispered, working his lips down to her shoulder.

"You did more than you'll ever know, babe." Kate assured him with a loving smile, nuzzling her head deeper into the crevice created by his neck and chin.

It wasn't long before their lips met again, and just as their intimate affection was starting to grow feverish, Castle prematurely broke the passion, rendering his partner somewhat disenchanted.

"What's the matter?" she questioned, initiating another kiss.

Castle protested into her mouth, splitting their lips apart. "Kate, I don't want you to push yourself to do this. Aren't you exhausted? If you just want to sleep, we can—"

"No, Rick. I _want _this," Kate interrupted, her tone of voice aching and fervent.

Every inch of her body thrummed with arousal now, a primal need, a need that would be satisfied by one man, and one man only. Castle grunted as she hastily latched on to his mouth, surprising him with the energy she was suddenly able to muster. Again, he resisted her passion, but this time, he relocated his lips to her neck, instantly sending a twinge of pleasure through her body.

"If you really want this," he mumbled against her skin, "then just let _me_ take care of _you_, Kate."

She locked her eyes incredulously to his loving gaze, nodding slowly in agreement to his proposal and submitting to his tender actions. He was given instant access to her full form, for she was already bare in his arms. Before she could react, his hands were exploring her body, stopping here and there just long enough to tease her. At last, he managed to work his way down to her womanhood, searching diligently for her elusive sweet spot while continuing to shower the rest of her body with tender, expertly placed kisses.

Castle smirked, making a deduction by his partner's uneven breaths. "I think I'm just about there..." he commented in a murmur, face burrowed deeply in her curls.

At last, he found it, and she bit back a moan, shifting herself on to her back as she became surrounded by her love. He smirked with satisfaction once again at the effect his expertise was having on her, the familiarity he had with her body and desires. She arched her back, forcing herself more and more into his sensual touch, and it didn't take long at all for a pleasured moan of his name to escape her lips, a blissful smile gracing her face.

"That's gotta be a new record, don'tcha think?" Castle whispered in a purr, puckering his lips and smacking them against her neck. "Hmm?"

"Shut up," Kate whispered breathlessly, snuggling closer to her beloved.

"What?" he said with a chuckle, lifting his arm and wrapping it around her shoulder as she settled in. She rested her head upon his bicep as he kissed her head, an unfaltering smile plastered upon his face.

Kate hummed mindlessly, murmuring her incoherent but surely witty response to him as she rolled back over, going limp as he gathered her further into his arms. Every fiber of her being was fully sated and at ease now, her mind in a haze and awash with the blissful pleasure of her climax. She all at once sensed her exhaustion finally beginning to set in and gave a soft, wearied sigh. She felt her beloved partner kiss the top of her head, and she smiled dreamily, never wanting to leave his arms again.

"Babe?" she whispered into Castle's chest.

"Hm?"

"I love you."

Kate smiled delightedly, and although it was dark in their room, she knew her love was smiling, as well.

"I love _you, _Kate."


End file.
